This is a significant moment in Labour Goofiness 2012, and what happens over the next 24-48 hours has huge ramifications for the NHL's future.

So, without a seat in the room to know for certain, here's what we're looking at:

The NHL is trying to pin down Donald Fehr

One of my weaknesses as a human being is that I'm a crappy negotiator. (Ask Hockey Night in Canada producers about the time I actually offered to pay more for a cab than the cabdriver asked for.) In an effort to improve, I've studied successful tactics and worked towards using them effectively.

Fehr has frustrated the NHL by refusing to negotiate directly off its proposals. It's a standard negotiation strategy -- if you don't like what's being offered, come up with an alternative. Sometimes it works, sometime it exasperates the opposing side. In this case, it's been the latter.

The league made it clear last night it wants a written proposal that includes specific positions on all of the outstanding issues -- share of hockey-related revenue (HRR), the "make-whole" provision on honouring existing contracts, other contracting issues... everything.